Wish you were here

Friday, September 21, 2007

MISSING TABA

He was the sixth child in our family whom we fondly nicknamed Taba because he was always chubby. More significantly, though, he was my best friend and true ally. Today is his birthday; sadly, he passed away about five years ago. I miss him to this day.

Rather than mope around the house, I decided to drive out to Manila Bay and take some sunset shots. I thought this would be the best way for me to celebrate his birthday, and although I was alone, I didn't feel lonely. On the contrary, I had a good time shooting. It was as if Taba was out there hanging out with me, while I was busily choosing and composing a series of shots.

When I was done shooting, I called a couple of friends to meet me. I treated them to a nice dinner. They didn't even realize that it was to celebrate my brother Taba's birthday. And as soon as I got home, I immediately grabbed my laptop to transfer my shots and to select two to post in Taba's honor. Here they are.

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Recently I overheard a mother and daughter in their last momentstogether at the airport. They had announced the departure.

Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said, "Ilove you and I wish you enough".

The daughter replied, "Mom, our life together has been more thanenough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom".

They kissed and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the windowwhere I was seated. Standing there I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy but she welcomed me in by asking, "Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?".

"Yes, I have," I replied. "Forgive me for asking, but why is this aforever good-bye?".

"I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and thereality is - the next trip back will be for my funeral," she said.

"When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I wish you enough'.May I ask what that means?".

She began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from othergenerations. My parents used to say it to everyone".

She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detailand she smiled even more. "When we said, 'I wish you enough', we were wantingthe other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them". Then turning toward me, she shared the following as if she were reciting it from memory.

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude brightI wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

She then began to cry and walked away. They say it takes a minute tofind a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them.

you talked about him in my post once before.. having a sibling as a best friend is probably one of the great things to have.. i love that you still celebrate his birthday.. i on the other hand am not good friends with any of my siblings.. often misunderstood.. but enough about me.. :)

Life in Manila as observed by a former New Yorker who with a laptop and camera has reinvented himself as a storyteller. Winner of the PHILIPPINE BLOG AWARDS: Best Photo Blog in 2007 and three Best Single Post awards in 2008.